Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

How Pain Keeps Men Out Of The Labor Force

Bloomberg reports on how pain is the cause for a large segment of the men between the ages of 25 to 54 who aren't in the labor force. In other public health developments, news outlets report on "biorights," the risks of carbon monoxide and the connections between birth control, hormones and depression.

Bloomberg:
Why Are So Many Men Not Working? They’re In Pain
A large share of American men between the ages of 25 and 54 who aren’t in the labor force may suffer from serious health conditions that are “a barrier to work” and suffer physical pain, sadness, and stress in their daily lives, according to research being presented next week by Princeton University labor economist Alan Krueger...Polls show that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has strong support among lower-income men without a college education, who are among the most likely to be out of the labor force because of a job-related disability. (Coy, 10/7)

Boston Globe:
The Rise Of “Biorights:” Donors Are Demanding Control — And Sometimes Cash — In Exchange For Genetic Samples
In what some are calling the “biorights” movement, patients are refusing to provide specimens unless they are compensated; are promised that useful medical information will be returned to them; or are granted some control over how their biological samples will be studied... Human DNA derived from biological samples is in especially high demand as drug companies, the government, and academic centers race to turn their genetic secrets into valuable medical treatments. One research firm predicts that biological samples like those DNAsimple collect will generate $23 billion in revenue by 2018. (Daley ahnd Cranley, 10/10)

Orlando Sentinel/Tampa Bay Tribune:
This Is How Carbon Monoxide Poisons You
Every year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning that's not linked to fire, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 20,000 go to the emergency room and some 4,000 are hospitalized because of it. In 2014, 22 Floridians died due to unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning that was linked to generators, boats and cars, according to the latest data available from the state. More than 250 went to the emergency room and nearly 60 were hospitalized that year.Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of anything that burns gas. (Miller, 10/7)

NPR:
Untangling Birth Control, Hormones And Depression
When the birth control pill debuted more than 50 years ago, women wanted to know: Is it safe? There wasn't much evidence to answer that question, but women embraced the Pill as a revolutionary improvement in contraception. Today, millions of women around the world use hormonal contraceptives that have expanded beyond the Pill to patches, implants, injections and uterine devices. Decades of research support their safety, and serious but very rare side effects such as blood clots are finally much better understood. But other areas of research lag, and we still don't know as much as we'd like about how these medications affect women's mental health. (Haelle, 10/9)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.